diff --git a/lib/hobo.rb b/lib/hobo.rb
index 8d1c9e15c..c5d135310 100644
--- a/lib/hobo.rb
+++ b/lib/hobo.rb
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ require 'hobo/vm'
 # TODO: Make this configurable
 log_output = ENV['HOBO_ENV'] == 'test' ? nil : STDOUT
 HOBO_LOGGER = Logger.new(log_output)
-Hobo::Env.load_config
+Hobo::Env.load! unless ENV['HOBO_ENV'] == 'test'
diff --git a/lib/hobo/env.rb b/lib/hobo/env.rb
index 970c88757..7540fc315 100644
--- a/lib/hobo/env.rb
+++ b/lib/hobo/env.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ module Hobo
     }
 
     class << self
+      def load!
+        load_config!
+        load_uuid!
+      end
+
       def ensure_directories
         ENSURE[:dirs].each do |name|
           Dir.mkdir(name) unless File.exists?(name)
@@ -22,7 +27,7 @@ module Hobo
         end
       end
       
-      def load_config
+      def load_config!
         ensure_directories
         ensure_files
         
@@ -30,6 +35,15 @@ module Hobo
         parsed = YAML.load_file(CONFIG.keys.first)
         Hobo.config!(parsed)
       end
+
+      def load_uuid!
+        # TODO check multiple lines after the first for information
+        @@persisted_uuid = File.open(Hobo.config[:dotfile_name], 'r').first
+      end
+
+      def persisted_uuid
+        @@persisted_uuid
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/hobo/env_test.rb b/test/hobo/env_test.rb
index 1285ecf03..7d613efeb 100644
--- a/test/hobo/env_test.rb
+++ b/test/hobo/env_test.rb
@@ -43,13 +43,34 @@ class EnvTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
 
     test "should load of the default" do
-      YAML.expects(:load_file).with(Hobo::Env::CONFIG.keys.first).returns(hobo_mock_config)
-      @handler.load_config
+      config_file_expectation
+      @handler.load_config!
       assert_equal Hobo.config[:ssh], hobo_mock_config[:ssh]                                    
     end
 
     test "Hobo.config should be nil unless loaded" do
       assert_equal Hobo.config, nil
     end
+
+    test "loading of the uuid from the dotfile" do
+      dot_file_expectation
+      Hobo.config! hobo_mock_config
+      Hobo::Env.load_uuid!
+      assert_equal Hobo::Env.persisted_uuid, 'foo'
+    end
+
+    test "load! should load the config and set the persisted_uid" do
+      dot_file_expectation
+      config_file_expectation
+      Hobo::Env.load!
+    end
+    
+    def dot_file_expectation
+      File.expects(:open).with('.hobo', 'r').returns(['foo'])
+    end
+
+    def config_file_expectation
+      YAML.expects(:load_file).with(Hobo::Env::CONFIG.keys.first).returns(hobo_mock_config)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 67149c797..9d4f33cef 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-begin
+ begin
   require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'vendor', 'gems', 'environment')
 rescue LoadError
   puts <<-ENVERR
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ begin
   require 'ruby-debug'
 rescue LoadError; end
 
+
 require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'lib', 'hobo')
 require 'contest'
 require 'mocha'
@@ -33,7 +34,8 @@ class Test::Unit::TestCase
         :pass => 'bar',
         :host => 'baz',
         :port => 'bak' 
-      } 
+      },
+      :dotfile_name => '.hobo'
     }
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end